Winding Webs
by XxSushiKatxX
Summary: Join Webpaw in the adventure of a lifetime, followed by her food-loving brother, Pumpkinpaw, suspicious friend Shadepaw, and athletic mentor, Rayleap, as they try to stop a new threat to ThunderClan. But are there already problems that need solving? Rated for minor violence and descriptive details.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

A translucent figure joined the group of starred cats. A troubled look rested upon his face as he curled his legs under him to sit next to a beautifully patterned she-cat.

"Is there anything that should concern me, Talonstar?" The she-cat mewed gently.

"Well... Yes, you could say that, Sallowwing." Talonstar brushed his cheek against hers affectionately.

"What is it?" Yet another cat meowed grumpily.

"It concerns our grandkits." Talonstar looked at Sallowwing, and she nodded. "When a new threat howls, webs will wind, but will have to trap another threat that came from the same."

Sallowwing nodded again, a new light in her eyes. "You should speak this to Owlcloud."

"I shall do it tonight." Talonstar jumped up, ending the conversation.

* * *

Father, wait!"

A brown she-cat jumped up from her cozy nest. She blinked a few times, waking up, then sighed, looking out into the empty camp.

Then she heard a wail.

"Shellshimmer!" The medicine cat realized. Her sister was expecting kits today, and Owlcloud was determined to give Shellshimmer an easy delivery.

"OWLCLOUD, COME QUICK! Please," yowled the pale gray tabby. When Owlcloud found her, the queen's blue-green eyes were clouded with pain, and she was shaking violently, as if a storm had possessed her.

Frantic, Owlcloud looked for the items she had brought. At last she did. "Bite down on this!" The brown cat's voice louder then she meant it to be. This was only her second experience with birth and the young medicine cat wanted the best for her sister. But she was wise enough to handle it.

Owlcloud then heard a crunch of the stick she brought, and whipped around. A wet kit slithered out, a tom, as ginger as their father, Flickertail. He was as bright orange as a forest fire, and let out a shrill cry. Instinctively, Shellshimmer began to lick the tom.

Then another yowl came from Shellshimmer, and out came a pale-gray she-kit, looking exactly like Owlcloud's sister. She couldn't help but smile when the she-kit mewed softly, nestling in beside her brother. Shellshimmer then gave out a long sigh.

The medicine cat then tapped the queen's belly a few times. "Looks like your kitting is over. Congrats! They're beautiful, and I'm sure Flickertail will be so happy."

"And that he will." Shellshimmer nodded. "In fact, you can bring him in now." But even before Owlcloud took a step, the kits' father burst in.

"Oh, Shellshimmer, they are so adorable! Have you named them yet?" Flickertail purred.

"No, I haven't." The queen flicked her tail. "But I will now. The tom here will be named Pumpkinkit." Owlcloud nodded.

"He looks just like me!" Flickertail meowed as the squealing kit started walking over to him slowly.

"And the she-kit will be named Webkit." Shellshimmer purred.

"They're going to be great." Owlcloud meowed. "They really will."

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you enjoyed my first chapter! Also, Pumpkinkit is based off of my real-life cat, Pumpkin. He's going to act like the real Pumple Baby too, haha. Thanks for reading!**

 **-Sushi**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"No fair! Give that back, Webkit!" A tiny orange tabby yowled.

"You've already eaten enough, Pumpkinkit. If you eat too much, you'll be as slow as that snail I found yesterday." Webkit swiped her tail across her brother's face and took the half-eaten mouse to her mother.

"Well, it's still not nice to scare me and take my food. Fight me for it like a true warrior!" Pumpkinkit meowed, fluffing up his tail and unsheathing his little claws.

"I work with my head, not my teeth and claws, _mouse-brain_." Webkit gave him a threatening look.

"Webkit, use nicer language! And no scaring your brother." Shellshimmer cuffed the kit behind the ear. "And as for you, Pumpkinkit- you'll have to eat just grass and weeds for the next day. No meat for you." She gave Pumpkinkit a stern look.

"Really?! This is the most terrible case of injustice I've ever heard of!" Pumpkinkit wailed.

"I'll give you a case of justice," their mother purred. "Your apprentice ceremony is today."

Both of the kits gasped, hopping around like careless rabbits. Shellshimmer sighed. "I'll have to clean the both of you up. You can't look and smell like that in front of the whole of ThunderClan. Especially your new mentors."

While Pumpkinkit wailed even more, Webkit gave a nod. "I guess you're right. I don't want to make a bad first impression."

Shellshimmer purred, happy with her daughter. "C'mere." As Shellshimmer licked the surface of the gray kit's fur, patting it down with her tongue, Webkit wore a look of discomfort, but still stood in front of her mother. Finally she released Webkit and dragged Pumpkinkit over with her sturdy jaws.

"B-but I'm FINE!" Pumpkinkit groaned.

"I'll make you a deal- I'll let you have your meat if you let me clean you." Then Pumpkinkit nodded, sighed, stiff-legged as his mother groomed him. "You smell as if you haven't been cleaning yourself for moons." The queen added.

Webkit looked out into the camp. Suddenly, a gray-and-black figure jumped onto the Highrock. Webkit felt like she would burst with excitement.

"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey, meet me under the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" The ThunderClan leader, Silverstar, yowled, reaching every set of ears in the camp with her loud voice. The two kits leaped out of the nursery, not waiting for their mother to catch up with them. The ThunderClan cats crowded in the clearing, ready to listen. Then she spoke.

"It has wonderful these past few seasons. StarClan has graced us with a den filled with apprentices. Now, we have two more blessings. ThunderClan is stronger then ever!" She yowled once more as the cats cheered.

"Webkit, Pumpkinkit, step forward." She meowed, much quieter now. It filled Webkit's heart with suspence as she simultaneously walked with her brother.

"Pumpkinkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Pumpkinpaw. Your mentor will be Leopardstorm. I hope she will pass down all she knows to you." She then whipped around to look at a spotted she-cat. "Leopardstorm, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Voleheart, and you have shown yourself to be loyal and a quick thinker. You will mentor Pumpkinpaw, and I expect you to pass down all you know to him."

The two cats touched noses, then returned to the crowd of cats. Pumpkinpaw then gave a friendly glance before he went as if to say _good luck_.

Silverstar then fixed her burning gaze on Webkit. The small gray kit clawed the mossy earth to keep from shaking as her leader began to speak. _I must not be afraid. Now is not the time to be afraid. I am beginning my journey._ Webkit felt excitement surge through her, but a trickle of anxiety seemed to float in.

"Webkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Webpaw." The Clan leader spoke. Suddenly, Webpaw's anxiety seemed to vanish, replaced by something new.

"Your mentor will be Rayleap, our deputy. I hope he passes down all he knows to you." Silverstar meowed. Webpaw stole a smiling glance at her brother and he returned it. Then she saw Silverstar look at the white warrior. "Rayleap, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Sallowwing, and you have shown yourself to be positive and determined. You will mentor Webpaw, and I expect you to pass down all you know to her."

Webpaw trotted over to Rayleap, reaching up and touching his nose. She turned around, purring, to hear her name and her brother's shouted from her clanmates.

"Webpaw! Pumpkinpaw! Webpaw! Pumpkinpaw!"

Once the yowling stopped, Silverstar dismissed the cats beneath her and returned to her den. Webpaw looked up at her new mentor's shining golden eyes. "C'mon, let's go see the territory! I can even show you the best places to hunt."

 _Here's where my journey begins,_ Webpaw thought. _I better not blow it._


	3. Chapter 3

"And here is the Robin Tree. This is tree is easy to climb as well as tall, and excellent to catch birds." Rayleap meowed. Webpaw nodded, breathing in all the information that was given to her. Then the gray tabby apprentice spoke.

"So, from what I'm estimating, isn't the Robin Tree about 300 tail-lengths away from the abandoned twoleg nest, which is about 850 tail-lengths from the bushy clearing, which is about 200 tail-lengths away from the camp exit?" Webpaw meowed, making scratches in the dirt as if ThunderClan territory was right below her paws.

"Umm..." Her mentor, Rayleap, looked a bit confused. "I guess so. Why do you ask?"

"That would be an excellent route for dusk hunting patrol, considering th-"

"Okay, OKAY!" The white warrior cut her off. "You've spent nearly all day thinking. You need to work on your hunting and fighting skills. You need to stop hiding and dodging and THINKING and just get in the center of the action and do something effective. It's not like an opponent or prey is just going to lie around, waiting for you to attack."

"But... My jaws and legs aren't very strong." Webpaw sighed.

"Well then we're going to make you strong. Extra training sessions tomorrow." Rayleap replied.

"Yes, Rayleap." Webpaw mewed monotonously. She preferred patrols but knew not to argue with her mentor.

"Alright. You must be tired, and you haven't even met your new denmates yet. You can go to the apprentices' den. You've deserved some rest." The muscular white cat meowed.

"Thanks Rayleap!" Webpaw called as she raced back to the camp.

* * *

The sun was setting as Webpaw entered the apprentices' den. It was a dark gray stone cave, decorated with moss, yellow, red, and blue flowers, green vines, and some zebra grass covering the entrance. The small tabby pushed through the grass to discover her brother already settled in and talking to a tan-and-brown apprentice she recognized as Barkpaw.

"Ah! It's my sister, Webpaw!" Pumpkinpaw cheerily mewed.

"Oh hi, Webpaw!"

"Welcome to our den!"

"How was your first day?"

All around her, Webpaw was surrounded by greetings, questions, and friendly nudges. Finally, a small, pale ginger cat emerged from the cluster of cats, a grin upon her face.

"Hello, Webpaw! I'm Canarypaw, and welcome to your new life as an apprentice. Let me introduce you to all of your new friends!" She exclaimed. "Okay, guys, get in your introducing line. You gotta introduce yourselves to the new apprentice!" The cats gathered up, and the small cat began her presentation.

First, a gray tabby tom stepped forward. "This is Tornadopaw. He may be fierce, and a little reckless, but he's got a heart for his clanmates." He bared his teeth a bit, but in a friendly way. Then Canarypaw gestured to Barkpaw. "This is Barkpaw, but you probably already know her, considering her popularity around the camp." Everyone in the den purred with amusement.

A white she-cat with flicks of silver all over her was gestured forward. "This is Sleetpaw. Her athletic ability is enviable, and so is her protective nature for her friends, and especially her older brother, Mountainclaw." Canarypaw nodded, and a white and dark ginger tom faced the cats. "This is Applepaw. He is one of the best hunters in ThunderClan and sweeter than any cat. He also knows when something's not right, and will aspire to fix it."

Then, Canarypaw flicked her tail to the last cat, a black she-cat. "This is Shadepaw. Daughter of our great leader, Silverstar, she might be not the most social, but she is quick and sneaky and a real help to our clan during a fight." She nodded, then walked slowly back to the crowd of apprentices.

Webpaw purred, excited once again. "Thanks for that, it must have taken you a long time to get that presentation right. I feel welcome, I really do!" The pale gray tabby grinned at all her new comrades, scanning each one, thinking of their described qualities.

"Webpaw, here's your new nest!" Applepaw mewed. "Me and Canarypaw fixed up Coralrose's nest once she moved out."

"Wow, it's beautiful! Thanks, you two." The nest was made of thick moss weaved together, dotted with cotton plants and flowers. It was lined with robin feathers and stuffed with comfy leaves.

"Okay, the sun is going down, and we better get to sleeping if we want to be ready for group training sessions tomorrow." Sleetpaw stated.

"Yeah. Good night, Sleetpaw." Another voice mewed.

"G'night."

"Sweet dreams."

"See you all tomorrow."

"Good night, Webpaw." She picked out her brother's voice.

"Good night." Webpaw replied.

 _I'm finally an apprentice. And tomorrow, I'll show everyone that my smarts really do pay off._


End file.
